Briefly

The so-called “Allan Houston Rule” failed to claim its namesake Monday.

Houston avoided being cut by the New York Knicks on the final day for NBA teams to take advantage of a one-time chance to escape luxury tax obligations for any contract on their books.

Rather than saving almost $40 million, New York opted instead to release forward Jerome Williams to avoid $21.3 million in luxury taxes that would have been due over the next three seasons.

Michael Finley was waived by the Dallas Mavericks, allowing them to avoid luxury taxes on the $51.8 million owed their captain over the next three season. Finley becomes an unrestricted free agent and is still guaranteed the money from his Mavericks contract, plus whatever he gets from a new team.

In all, teams saved $154.5 million in future tax payments by waiving 16 players. Among those let go Monday were Fred Hoiberg of Minnesota, Ron Mercer of New Jersey, Calvin Booth of Milwaukee and Troy Bell of Memphis.

•Free agent power forward Brian Grant will likely sign a two-year, nearly $4 million contract with the Phoenix Suns, agent Mark Bartelstein said. Grant is expected to decide today.

•The Chicago Bulls kept guard Chris Duhon, matching an offer sheet the restricted free agent signed with Toronto. The Raptors reportedly had offered a three-year deal for more than $9 million.

•The Indiana Pacers waived the retired Reggie Miller, relieving them of a $6 million luxury tax liability for his contract that still has one year remaining.

Miller, who will turn 40 next week, retired after Indiana was eliminated from the NBA playoffs in May, but the Pacers were still obligated to pay him for next season.

•Guard Darrell Armstrong re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks. Terms of the deal weren’t released.

Basketball

U.S. women beat Poland

The undefeated U.S. women’s basketball team overcame a slow start to beat Poland 89-63 in Izmir, Turkey, earning a quarterfinal spot at the University Games against Taiwan.

Megan Duffy scored 13 points and Seimone Augustus added 12 for the Americans (4-0), who led by three points at halftime and trailed in the third quarter before rallying.

Tennis

Roddick advances, Agassi rests

Andy Roddick had one minor concern – an erratic serve – as he advanced in the $2.45 million Cincinnati Masters in Mason, Ohio. Andre Agassi dropped out with a lot more on his mind.

Roddick struggled with his serve, but was solid in every other aspect of a rejuvenating 6-3, 6-4 win over Jurgen Melzer.

Agassi, 35, hopes that his back will come around after two weeks away from competitive tennis, leaving him healthy for the U.S. Open. An irritated nerve forced him to drop out of the Cincinnati tournament that he won last year.

Agassi was considering another cortisone shot to calm the nerve and get him ready for the Open.

Soccer

Reyna ready for return

After missing the last two World Cup qualifiers for the United States, captain Claudio Reyna returned over the weekend for Wednesday night’s game against Trinidad and Tobago in Hartford, Conn.

The United States (4-1) has 12 points in the final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region, one point behind first-place Mexico (4-0-1) at the halfway mark, and with a win over Trinidad and Tobago would move to the brink of qualifying for its fifth straight World Cup.

Reyna, a 32-year-old midfielder, captained Manchester City in its 0-0 tie Saturday against West Bromwich Albion in its English Premier League opener, then arrived in Connecticut on Sunday. Seven of the nine Europe-based players on the Americans’ 19-man roster appeared for their clubs last weekend.

Reyna had skipped June qualifying victories over Costa Rica and Panama plus last month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Miscellany

Roush mulls releasing Busch

Car owner Jack Roush is still thinking about letting Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch out of the final year of his contract in 2006.

“We will consider releasing him, but it’s not presumed that we will,” Roush said. “Right now, the presumption is that he’ll be in the car in 2006 because that’s a commitment he’s made to me and I’ve made commitments to others around that.”

Last week, Busch signed a deal to drive for Roger Penske in 2007 and asked Roush that he be released from his current contract after this season.

•A Chicago judge approved a $16 million settlement of a lawsuit that calls for Northwestern University to pay the family of a football player who collapsed and died during practice four years ago.

Rashidi Wheeler’s mother, Linda Will, who has objected to settling the case, filed an appeal.

•John Beckett was killed when his car rolled at more than 200 mph during time trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah.

The 58-year-old North Carolina driver crashed at the 5-mile mark of the 7-mile track as he was reaching top speed Sunday during Bonneville National Speedweek, race officials said.

Beckett was alive when sheriff’s officers arrived but died a short time later.

•West Oahu of Hawaii eliminated Northwest Ada of Boise 12-1 in the Northwest finals of the Little League World Series in San Bernardino, Calif.